Inkwell
by CharmingMissSarah
Summary: 'During the course of your holiday I expect you to write to your Pen Pal. You are allowed to try and guess who your Pen Pal is. But you are not allowed to tell your partner who you are or anyone in a different house to you. You may only answer questions on your identity in Yes or No answers. There will be a ball at which you will reveal your identity'. HGxDM,BZxPP,HPxGW,RWxLL
1. Chapter 1

_*Edited on the 13/12/12 with the help of my brand new BETA, Sophie. Let's all say "Thank you Sophie, you are an amazing person to put up with Sarah's nonsense writing and incredibly slow updating"*_

DISCLAIMER I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. That goes for all of this story. (I know, I know I am sooooo lazy).

_**A/N Just a reminder this story is set in an ALTERNATE Universe. Everything I have changed I have stated in the Prologue. EXCEPT that there are no such things as Horcruxes, my explanation for Tom Riddles Diary is that in his final year at Hogwarts he cursed the diary so that when someone writes in it the curse is activated. It is a variation on the spell they use on the portraits of the deceased to portray their deceased's personality (eg. Nigel Black, Ex-Headmaster of Hogwarts).**_

_**This story is set from the end (of the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix) of Harry, Ron and Hermione's 5th year through the Summer holidays and until at the very least Halloween in their 6th year.**_

_**In this first update, there is 2 Prologues and Chapter 1, enjoy.**_

_**~Babe.95~**_

_PROLOGUE Part 1 - Background Information_

The battle at the end of Harry's 5th year of Hogwarts, at the Ministry occurred a month before the end of the school year.

Sirius did fall into the veil but it actually leads to a remote tropical island with a massive hotel, he apparated straight back to the ministry of magic to continue his duel with his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange. Only to have Harry miraculously kill Tom Marvalo Riddle AKA Lord Voldermort, Dark Lord, You-Know-Who by severing the chain that held a solid gold, 6 ft (180 cm) wide chandelier to crush the satanic man, killing him instantly.

Albus Dumbledore reclaimed his rightful place as the Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All of Dolores Umbridge's rules and regulations were removed of and everyone who received a detention from her received 10 house points for their house for every detention they had been forced to endure. The parents of all of the students who had attended Hogwarts that year were sent a letter containing the sincere apologies of Professor Dumbledore, written in his signature green ink.

All of the Deatheaters who had used an unforgivable curse were given a Dementors Kiss, those who hadn't were to be kept in Azkaban and would be seeing Psychologists and Psychiatrists until they can be released back into the wizarding world as properly functioning members of society.

PROLOGUE Part 2 - Animation charms

Professor Dumbledore sat in the high backed chair, at his office desk. His spindly fingers pressed together supporting his chin. His eyes shut and his half-moon spectacles were perched halfway along his nose.

He heard a hum as the enchanted stairs spun the house heads into his office. His magnificent blue eyes fluttered opened as the door creaked open to reveal professors McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick.

'Hello. I gather that you are wondering why I have summoned you here when there is only a week until the school year ends. I asked you all here so that we can discuss my new plan for Inter house; I have been planning it in my free time since Dolorus Umbridge took my post as headmaster,' explained Professor Dumbledore. 'My plan is for all of the students in years 4 and up, excluding the 7th years to be paired with a student from another house-'

'- How will the students partners be selected?' interrupted Professor McGonagall.

'I'm glad you asked me that because we shall need to create an object that will find the students their ideal Pen Pal.'

'How will we do that, Albus?' asked Professor Sprout.

'We shall use a variation of the spell the four founders used to make the Sorting Hat. The Sorting Hat's spell was

*Sorte thy Home

Sorte thy brave from scheming

Sorte thy loyal from clever

Sorte thy Houses,*'

explained Dumbledore. He relieved his head of the ever present midnight blue hat with crescent moons embroidered in silver thread, placing it on his desk. He took out his wand, waving it in clockwise circles over his hat. Performing the spell as he said it, 'Our new Spell shall be

*Combine thy brave and clever

Combine thy loyal and scheming

Join thy houses and homes and sorte thy pen pals true,*'

All of the staff members stood, astonished at the ease in which he had performed the spell.

With that the hat sprang to life.

'Hello, my dears. My name is PPD, Pen Pal Designation hat. As you can tell by my name, I am here to designate your students their perfect Pen Pal from all of the year levels participating and a different house,' spoke the hat in a motherly female voice (not unlike Mrs Weasley's but slightly huskier).

'Hello PPD, my name is Albus Dumbledore and these are Professors McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick.'

With that PPD and the teachers settled down to assign all the students their Pen Pals, drawing on the memories of all five Professors to make sure that the personalities would blend.

CHAPTER 1- Hats and their Importance

'Come on Harry, hurry up Ron!' Hermione yelled as she skipped down the stairs of the Gryffindor boy's dormitories – having been dragged from where she was sitting in the common room by a very insistent Ron to help them pack, much like how she use to 'help' them write their Transfiguration essays, apart from what they didn't want her to see. Finding the common room deserted she ran through the magic portrait that served as a door for the Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry and Ron travelled down the stairs, slightly calmer than Hermione did - the reason they were so excited was that the House Cup was to be awarded that evening and they had heard a rumour that Professor Dumbledore was going to be making a special announcement.

Hermione had ran all the way from the Common room to the Great Hall only to realise that she had completely forgotten to pick her Hogwarts hat up from Harry's bed where she'd been sitting before she left the dorms.

She turned away from the Great Hall's magnificent doors to head back up the seven flights of stairs to the Gryffindor Boy's Dormitories to grab her hat only to hear the sound of pounding feet as Harry ran round the corner to descend the marble staircase leading to the Great Hall, closely followed by Ron. They, of course had remembered their hats. Harry, slowing to a walk said, panting a little, ' You forgot it, didn't you!' as he handed her, her own black hat.

'Blimey Hermione, how fast were you going!' exclaimed Ron as he caught up with them. With that they entered the Great Hall.

The hall suddenly fell silent, every head turning to stare at who had dared to be late to the House Cup Ceremony. When they saw who it was; the Slytherins sneered, Gryffindors cheered for their beloved heroes, Hufflepuffs started talking amongst themselves and the Ravenclaws turned their attention back to Professor Dumbledore.

Dumbledore clapped his hands to bring his extended families attention back to him, while the trio quickly took their seats at the Gryffindor table.

'Hello students, before the House Cup is awarded I have someone here whom I think you'd all very much like to meet.' With that he stepped back from the solid gold podium and gently picked up PPD and placed her on the stool that had magically appeared on the dais at the front of the hall. As he stood back from the stool she started her speech,

'I am the Pen Pal Designation hat but seeing as that is quite the mouthful I would prefer to be called PPD. I was enchanted by your headmaster to assign you all your ideal pen pals, despite what you may think.' With that she started a rendition of ''Why can't we be friends."

Once she had finished her song Dumbledore moved her back to where she had originally been stationed next to the Sorting Hat.

Professor Dumbledore returned to his ornate podium to tell the students the restrictions of the Pen Pal program. 'I have decided that all of the students who are currently in their 4th year and up, excluding the 7th years have Pen Pals through the holidays, in hope that you will ALL learn something about friendship, diversity and respect.'

'During the course of your holiday I expect you to keep up your correspondence. You are allowed to try and guess who your pen-pal is. You may not tell your partner who you are. It is imperative that your pen-pal should not know your identity unless they guess it themselves, as this may destroy the 'getting to know you' process the 'getting to know you' process destroying the friendship blossoming between the two of you because of your own preconceptions.'

'On Halloween there will be a Masquerade ball at which at the stroke of Midnight you will reveal your identity to your partner, if they have not already succeeded in determining your identity' stated Dumbledore matter of factly.

'Let the Feast begin,' he boomed and a split second later the four house tables were covered in so much food that they nearly buckled under the weight of it all.

The Great Hall erupted in complaints; Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's complaints were barely discernable from the cheers coming from the 5th year girls about the fact that they could be paired with the famous Harry Potter or absolutely dreamy Draco Malfoy.

The Slytherins were by far the loudest in their complaints, one in particular...

'I can't believe he's done this to us! I refuse to believe it! If I get partnered with a Gryffindor I am SOOOOO going to lose it!-'

'-DAPHNE! STOP being so melodramatic!' interrupted Draco, annoyed at her whining. 'It mightn't be as bad as you think,' he muttered thinking about the possibilities: Padma Patil was very pretty and relatively smart. Cho Chang was finally getting over Diggory, she was no longer running to the bathroom every 5 minutes anymore. He did quite like Hannah Abbot for her loyalty, thought Draco.

At the Gryffindor table Ron and Harry were talking quietly about what they would do if they were paired with a Slytherin especially, Daphne Greengrss or Millicent Bullstrode. They were two of the skankiest and bitchiest girls in their year; they even gave Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil a run for their money.

'If I get paired with either of them, I swear I'll kill myself!' pledged Ron.

'If I get either of them, I'd just stop writing and put them in a full body bind on the night of the ball.'

'Oh… That would work too I 'spose,' mumbled Ron, wishing he had been the one to come up with the idea.

Hermione shook her head and smiled at their antics, causing Harry to look over and ask her if she was worried about whom she was paired with.

'No,' she said with a small smile.

'What does she have to worry about? With brains like hers you can guarantee she'll be with a Ravenclaw,' interjected Ron.

Hermione quickly shovelled a fork's worth of mash into her mouth. Her mind turning with the possibilities of whom she might be paired with. She wasn't worried; she was certain that PPD would not be so cruel as to pair her with any of the particularly vile Slytherins, and certainly not a certain despicable ferret whose constant teasing and cajoling was slowly eroding away the fortress she had created to stop her self-esteem and confidence from being eaten away. Although she had always tried to ignore him and his cronies, it still got to her. She had nothing to worry about, Professor Dumbledore wouldn't be so cruel as to pair her and Malfoy together, they are opposites. It's not like they had anything in common. I wasn't as though her and Malfoy would be the perfect example of house unity, of everything Dumbledore was striving for. _Who I am I trying to fool, Malfoy and I would be the perfect partners to symbolise unity._

"I needn't worry," she muttered to herself, trying to muster some conviction. "I won't be paired with Malfoy"

_**A/N Yay!**_

_**Ok that's done, Please Review. I won't know what you think of it unless you REVIEW! (I'm not a mind reader, unfortunately.)**_

_**~Babe.95~**_


	2. Chapter 2

_*Edited on the 13/12/12 – thanks to my lovely BETA, Sophie*_

_**A/N: Here is the second rewrite of Chapter 2, it's very different to the original. – 13/12/12**_

_**Anyway, I typed this on my phone, so I actually could write it for you all and I think it has made my texting speed increase. Over a thousand words phone typing will do that to you. :D Anyway, enjoy and please review to tell me what you think of it.**_

Chapter 2

The Hogwarts Express sped through the dreary, waterlogged English countryside, steam powered pistons pumping steadily through the pouring rain, heading towards London.

In his compartment, Draco had been sleeping peacefully until he was rudely awoken by the booming crash of thunder. Groaning, Draco wished that the raging storm would just stop. He opened his lethargic eyes to reveal his storm like blue grey irises. He stared out the window into the grey landscape and pouring rain before focusing his eyes on the droplets of water racing down the outside of the carriage window. Slowly he lowered his head to the window before resting his forehead against the glass pane shutting his eyes to release a long sigh before snapping his eyelids back. His face transformed from one of openness to one of boredom before standing up completely composed. Pulling his wand from his cloak pocket, Draco aimed it at the seat where Crabbe and Goyle's considerable bulk lay snoring before whispering _Aguamanti_ causing water to spray from the tip of his wand, drenching the pair. Spluttering, the pair growled, swinging their fists wildly trying to pummel whoever had woken them up like that, which is quite ridiculous seeing as their eyes were still shut.

''Fetch me a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans,'' commanded Draco imperiously, his steel grey eyes daring them to refuse.

''Fine,'' replied Goyle, barely containing his anger before storming out of the compartment, closely followed by Crabbe who shot a glare at Draco as he left the compartment.

''I don't know why you still do it. It's not like your dad can bribe them anymore,'' commented Blaise, who was no longer feigning sleep. Blaise was referring to the years of sweets, cakes and anything else the gluttonous pair wanted. All of which was to protect Draco and to spy on him to make sure that his son was acting in a way appropriate of a pureblood and befitting a Malfoy; to ensure that Draco was only befriending the 'right' sort of people; purebloods from well off families like the Black's, Zabini's and Parkinson's.

Draco answered Blaise's remark by saying '' 'Cause someone needs to annoy them and get them back for bullying all of the younger Slytherins and it may as well be me...at least until they find out that my father won't be paying them off with junk food anymore.'' Years of regret and guilt weighed heavy on Draco's shoulders, all those years of bullying others, never caring about their age, gender or blood status (alright maybe he did care about blood status, reserving most of his pranks for blood traitors and mudbloods). People were often intimidated by the mere mention of his surname because of the power and wealth it held. There was a difference between what he did to the fledgling Slytherins, the brutish Crabbe and Goyle actually used their massive bulk to intimidate their youngers and if that didn't work they'd use force, causing more than half of their victims to arrive at the hospital wing with suspiciously crooked noses, broken arms and concussions. Crabbe and Goyle were never blamed for these incidents seeing as all of their victims said, "I tripped," "I fell off my broom," or something else to that effect.

''I hope you realize that when they do figure out that your father can't pay them anymore they'll beat the stuffing out of you,'' said Pansy, a slightly amused expression on her face.

''I know, why do you think I've started bulking up," pointing to his bicep and abdominal region, causing Blaise and Pansy to crack up in fits of laughter.

''You do realize you're how you've _always _been!'' cried Pansy. Blaise then proceeded to strip off his school shirt and point to his own biceps and abs. ''_This_ is muscle. Call me when you get some!''

''Geeze Blaise, cover your tits, you've just burnt my eyeballs and I'm pretty sure you've scarred Pansy for life.'' Pansy had flung both her hands over her eyes and was yelling something that could just be deciphered as ''PUT YOUR BLOODY SHIRT ON!'' continuously. Blaise pouted at Draco before following Pansy's request. Once he was finished Draco shouted ''He's done,'' over Pansy's screeching, who ceased her cries and proceeded to cautiously uncover her eyes.

''Draco, when are we going to the Gryffindors hovel?'' asked Pansy.

''I suppose now's as good a time as any to pay them a visit.'' Draco didn't really mind if they did see the Potter gang or not, but it was tradition.

The trio left their compartment and went in search of Potter's. They found it eventually; it was the very last compartment in the very last carriage.

The door to their compartment flung open as a voice shouted, ''Hello Toilet Troupers!'' as Malfoy stepped across the threshold into Gryffindor's compartment.

''Seriously,'' said a masculine voice from outside their cabin in a disbelieving tone. ''Don't you get it? It's really quite simple, Harry Potter, Potter, Potty, Toilet. Understand now?'' smirked Draco as Zabini and Pansy followed him through the doorway.

Harry interrupted their conversation, saying, ''I know we always tell you to get some new insults, but if that's all you can come up with then just stick to the classics.''

''For once, I agree with Potter,'' commented Pansy.

''Has to be said Malfoy, you are _awful_ at making insults,'' agrees Hermione.

''He sure does,'' interjected Ron. The rest of the Potter People nodded and made noises of agreement. Malfoy, in an attempt to cover for his failure, started firing insults, ''I hope you realize that begging for money through letters is extremely tacky Weaselette,'' to Ginny who was sitting in-between Hermione and Luna

''Actually ferret boy, I'm writing to my pen pal.''

''Is that supposed to make it any better?''

''Yes, it is because it means I can spend my time doing other things when I get home.''

''Home to your shack?''

''No, home to my house?''

Sneering Malfoy continued on with,'' I'm surprised the Mudblood isn't the one writing a letter.''

''For once in your lifetime, you're correct. I've already finished mine," huffed Hermione.

''Pathetic as always, aren't you Granger.''

''I don't think you want to say that Draco, you can't use spells anymore but she can still throw a mean punch,'' advised Pansy as she sat beside Neville as she crossed her legs.

''Has to be said, you're pretty useless in a fist fight,'' commented Blaise from where he was leaning against the compartment door.

''Seriously! Do we _have _to do this now?''

''I'm not the one that brought it up, that was Pansy, why don't you ask her.''

Draco turned to Pansy asking, "Why'd you say that Pansy?''

''Why? Isn't it obvious, I don't want my friend to go home and see his mother for the first time in a year with a broken nose.''

"I think you just emasculated him...a lot,'' responded Luna.

''Agreed, Luna,'' said Ginny. Who, like all the Gryffindor in the cabin, was trying to hide the smirk on her face.

''Look why don't we just leave now.''

''Alright Blaise, I don't want my mother to see me straight after a fist fight. I don't think she'd be terribly impressed.''

''Then let us leave this humble abode,'' said Pansy as she stalked out of the compartment, followed by Blaise. Malfoy couldn't help but have the last laugh, ''Pansy got that right, this place is definitely humble, a humble hovel,'' giving a cruel laugh as he left their compartment.

''I don't get him, I really don't,'' said Neville as he stood to close the door the Slytherin's had left wide open.

''That's because he'd got more than a few screws loose,'' said Ron.

''You're being surprisingly insightful today Ron.'' said Hermione before returning to the book she had been reading until the failure of Draco Malfoy had rudely interrupted her. The rest of the group took that as a sign to return to what they had been doing previously; Ginny wrote her letter, Luna read the Quibbler and Harry, Ron and Neville returned to their game of exploding snap.

_**A/N: Please Review :D**_

_**I'm halfway through writing chapter 3, even though I'm in exam block, so REVIEW to make my failing of subjects worth it.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_***Edited on the 13/12/12 thanks to my BETA, Sophie***_

_**A/N: Chapter 3, I think this is the quickest I've ever updated a story, you can thank my friend who kept bugging me to write more :D So here it is, I'll try to write chapter 4 and post it in a fortnight, so I can study for the three exams I have this week and go on my school camp.**_

_**Thank you to those who have reviewed, favorite or alerted me or this story, I'll write all of your names for those who used their fanfiction account (THANK YOU!).**_

_**Anyway, go do the thing you're here for, READ!**_

Chapter 3

On the first day of summer holidays Draco sat at his desk trying to figure out what he should spend his time doing other than try to figure out who his partner was (that was a given) but he could hardly try to figure out their identity if he knew nothing about them. After an hour of brainstorming what he could research to become more knowledgeable in, having come up with only Dragons, Fairies, how mermaids reproduce and what he thought of as the best option: what made some witches or wizards magical while others are squibs as well as why are muggles… muggles?

With the topic decided he pushed himself up from his desk and strolled out of his room. Hands in his pockets he walked past framed picture after framed picture of his ancestors all of which smiled down at him as he passed some even calling out queries of how his school year had been. Eventually he reached a pair of great oak doors which he easily pushed through to reach the library.

A portrait of the builder of Malfoy Manor, Raziel Malfoy was fixed to the wall above the large ornate fire place. Raziel cut an imposing figure, his right hand resting on his cane and his left held loosely at his side was a long dark wand made of Ash. Feet spread, his face positioned to stare down on anyone entering the library. Raziel's eyes, a strong grey bore into Draco's soul. Raziel did not move, did not speak. He had been painted in the 12th century AD, two hundred years before wizards had worked out how to animate portraits.

Draco went in search of books on the subject of magic, a short while later a small mountain had formed in front of him, the majority books' outward appearance was of large ornate books, with gold leafed covers and intricately scribed pages. Draco searched hundreds of pages of these books and found that all they spoke of was the definition of magic ''''Magic is the art of producing the desired effect or result through the use of incantation or various other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or forces of nature.'' which any wizard worth his salt knew and information about, and was the opposite of what he wanted; he wanted to know what made witches and wizards magical, what enabled them to perform spells. He grew more and more frustrated as he neared the end of his pile.

Eventually there was one book left, a thin unremarkable brown leather-bound book. Feeling defeated Draco pulled it towards him across the oak surface. He opened the cover to reveal a yellow page stating the author and contents of the book, it was a Journal written in the year 952 AD by . He flipped to the first page of text and found the pages remarkably thin.

Reading the chapter he found that the chapter was introduction and the contents of the book what he actually wanted. He continued reading: ''_There was once a small town in the middle of Germany on the edge of the Black Forest. One day a young woodsman called Caeden was hunting in the forest, searching for a deer to feed the village. On his hunting trip he travelled further and further towards the center of the forest - across streams, under fallen trees and over moss covered rocks. Walking saliently over fallen twigs he started seeing spots of pearly silver on the ground. He bent to one drop and touched it with his finger; he found that it was a thick, cool liquid. Curious he began following the spots of silver through the forest, ever nearer the center. The drops of liquid began growing larger as the trees around him grew older. Eventually he stumbled upon a small clearing, and on the far side of the clearing was a majestic beast._

_The animal had a short coat as bright and white as the moon. As he drew ever closer to the animal he saw that it was horse like in appearance apart from the single horn that adorned its forehead. Looking down at the horses long, powerful legs, he saw a long cut down the majestic beast's leg. He knelt beside the animal, making soothing noises. Searching through his pack he found his water flask and lunch, he took both from his pack. Caeden carefully un-stoppered his flask and poured the clean water over the animals wound to clean it. He followed this by opening his lunch to take out a small jar of honey. Scooping the honey, he gently covered the wound in the natural antiseptic. Pulling his knife from his belt he cut strips of fabric from the bottom of his tunic to bind the horse-like animals wound. He gathered his belongings and stood, as he left the clearing he prayed that the magical animal would survive._

_That year, the village saw the coldest winter in many, many years. The young men of the village were sent out into the forest to hunt for food and gather firewood. On one such trip, Caeden was alone following the tracks of a wild boar, bow strung in hand. He heard a noise behind him and swung around, only to see it was the animal he had helped. Caeden stood still, shocked to see the animal which he never thought he would see again. The beast closed the distance between them_ _and pressed its nose into Caedens cloak. A voice filled his mind "Hello young one. Thank you for saving me. I can bless you and your village with one gift if you so wish."_

"_I did not help you for want of repayment, great one. I helped you as it was the right thing to do."_

"_Either way, would you accept my gift?"_

"_I could never refuse you," replied Caeden.._

"_Good." The animal's horn began to glow. Caeden passed out._

_When he awoke, he was sitting under a tree with a small fire at his feet. Shocked, he looked at the sky for the time and saw it was night. He stood and kicked snow over the fire to put it out and ran back to his village for as all know, the forest is dangerous at night._

_Halfway through his journey he started hearing a heavy animal behind him. He tried to run faster to outrun the animal, but he couldn't - the animal was too fast. The animal gained on Caeden, until it was running on his left, then suddenly it jumped in front of him, jaws snapping. The animal had revealed itself to be a large grey wolf, with teeth the size of Caeden's thumb. Caeden stopped running and reached to take his bow from where he normally slung, only to find wasn't there, having left it at the tree where he woke up. Caeden despaired, without his bow he was defenceless and an easy meal for the wolf. Suddenly the wolf attacked, leaping for his jugular. He reacted instinctively, saying ''_Petrificus Totatalus_'' capturing the fearsome predator in a full body bind. Caeden stared at his hands and then at the motionless wolf lying in the snow. He shook his head in confusion before running back to his village._

_When he reached his village he found that since the afternoon many strange things had occurred. An out of control fire had been ravaging a thatch house with a babe inside, the fire had been put by stream of water coming from the inside of the house, although the only soul inside the house was the baby. Caeden then told his village of his encounters with the unicorn and the wolf._

_A hundred years passed and the village became a hub of magic, almost every child possessed a magical ability. Over those hundred years, the people of the village had begun using wands to help them control their magic. The witches and wizards of the village used their magic to help other villages for a price, if it were to heal a child of illness it would cost a copper piece, to create wine from water for a wedding a silver piece was payed. It was this way that the King of Germany heard of this village, he sent his soldiers to burn the village and kill the abominations. The magic users heard of this from the people they helped and left their home, travelling in groups or on their own they left Germany. And so the magic gene spread over Europe."_

Draco continued reading the book as night fell he took the book back to his room with him, exhausted he lay on his bed and kept reading finding the book too interesting to put down, eventually he finished it, laying it down on his bedside table he fell asleep, his mind transporting him to the events that took place in the book.

_**A/N: Thank you for reading this chapter and please review so you get a mention at the end of the next chapter.**_

Thank you for Reviewing:

cherryblossom-vanilla, xxDeadInsidexx, MidnightLaughs, NCIS-Warrior-Princess, Hecate goddess of Darkness

Thank you for Favouriting:

cherryblossom-vanilla, xxDeadInsidexx, NCIS-Warrior-Princess, Hecate goddess of Darkness, Iceprincess22454, kataragurl2, RainbowedEsmer

Thank you for Alerting:

cherryblossom-vanilla, MidnightLaughs, Hecate goddess of Darkness, RiverFray, Pineappplepeople, I M Sterling, Highland Bride, Harrypotter numberone fan, happygoluckyfull, Cordelia Storyspinner

Thank you for Fovouriting me:

Pineappplepeople, Blonde to the Brain, ILoveGeorgeCooper, Lara D, Maddie Rose, SilverGoldsun – .Day

Thank you for Alerting me:

Blonde to the Brain, ILoveGeorgeCooper, bookbabe16, MagicSweepsMeOffMyFeet

Thank you all so much, it really does mean a lot to me :D


	4. Chapter 4

_***Edited on the 13/12/12 thanks to the ever wonderful Sophie***_

_**A/N: I'm sorry for not updating when I said I would. Its Soo NOT cool, and I'm beating myself up for it, but I can't reverse time nomatter how much I beat myself up about it. **_

_**Thank you to everyone who has been reading my story, especially those who have reviewed, followed or favorite; It really does mean a lot. THANK YOU!**_

Chapter 4

It was the first Monday of Hermione's summer break. She and her family – the Granger's - had only just arrived in France the previous night after taking the train under the English Channel for their annual Paris holiday. After arriving at the flat they were renting for their two week stay, Hermione had sent her first letter to her pen pal - via the owl she had been lent from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – which she had edited on the two hour train journey with her parents, before going to bed.

That morning in the kitchen, both of Hermione's parents - Dr.'s John and Elizabeth Granger - were sitting eating breakfast when their daughter entered, still sleepy eyed. Pouring herself a bowl of cereal she plonked herself down at the table and greeted her parents.

''Hi honey,'' greeted John whilst Elizabeth responded with kissing Hermione on her cheek, ''Your father and I were talking and we thought it would be nice if we went out shopping and had a mother-daughter day. Maybe even get you a haircut.''

''Mu-um'', whined Hermione voice laden with distaste, ''not that I don't want to spend the day with you, but shopping! Really? You know me, I'm sick of shopping after forty minutes in, unless its book shopping.''

''I know dear. Its just that a lot of your clothes don't fit you properly anymore. I was thinking we could swing by a bookshop on the way back and pick you up something.''

''Really, Mum ?''

''Yep,'' she replied, smiling happily. Hermione beamed back, finished her breakfast before stating that she'd be ready in five.

Elizabeth and Hermione had been scouring the Parisian streets in search of a hairdressing salon for a half an hour; eventually finding one in the center of the clothing district.

Upon entering the sleek salon, an available hairdresser strutted over to the pair, pausing to take in their appearance. The older of the pair sported a sleek, straight jaw-lenghth bob of dark brown and was dressed in a pair of white capri's which were matched with a vibrant purple, short-sleeve botton up shirt. The other, Hermione, had a birds nest for hair, long strands of curling light brown hair defying gravity, clothed in baggy jeans and a deep green polo.

''Bonjour, how may I be of service?'' enquired the hairdresser in French. Elizabeth took charge, knowing that her daughter couldn't care less about how her appearance, especially something as unessential as her hair, her opinion being that if you didn't need it, why on earth should you bother to try and make it look pretty, Hermione didn't do vanity.

''Hello, my daughter, Hermione, needs at the very least a good trim and preferably a new style, something that suits her and is low management. Otherwise you may do as you please, but please make it look nice," begged Elizabeth.

''Of course Madam," responded the hairdresser in a completely professional tone. "When I have finished with your daughter, you will hardly recognise her.''

The hairdresser then whisked Hermione away to gently wash her hair, before seating her in front of a mirror. The hairdresser stood staring at Hermione for a moment, manicured fingers held thoughtfully over her mouth, analysing Hermione's face before gently passing some curling locks through her fingers, deciding what to do. Suddenly the hairdresser became a whirlwind of motion. Comb in one hand scissors in the other, cutting, shearing and trimming inch after inch, lock after lock of hair. Gradually Hermione's new hair style was forming.

A half hour later and Hermione's new hair style was completed. Hermione rose from her seat after thanking the hairdresser strode over to her mother who inspected her hair approvingly. An artist in her field, the hairdresser had caringly shaped and perfected Hermione's hair until it framed her face in all of its curling glory. Her hair was no longer a waist length mass of split ends. It now only barely reached her shoulders, but Hermione wasn't fussed about its length, or how it showed the multitude of different browns in her hair. Rather, she was obsessed with the fact that she would be getting a new book at the end of the day, trying to decide what book she'd buy as her mother paid the hairdresser.

As soon as the transaction was complete Hermione was at her mother's side asking if they could go buy her new book straight away.

"Not just yet Hermione, we still need to go get you some new clothes," Elizabeth treplied, smiling at her daughters antics. Leading her daughter out of the store, and down some streets to the French clothing store, 'Etam'.

Once inside the store, Hermione let her mother lead the way, used to her exceptional sense of direction when it came to shopping. She was like a blood hound. Once they hit the teen clothing section, it was as if Elizabeth had been drinking energy drink all morning, she was crazy. Hermione let her mother burn off the excitement, caching clothes when they were thrown at her until her arms were overflowing with fashionable clothes. When she was ushered into a changing room to try on all manner of skimpy dresses, frilly tops and thankfully the occasional pair of jeans. Culling over half the amount of clothes her mother wanted her to get, ditching the neon green shirt, fluro yellow jeans and the strapless dress that 2 inches longer than her torso that didn't cover anywhere near as much as a dress should. Passing through the checkout, the massive amount of clothes had somehow managed to be stuffed into 6 large bags that looked as though they were going to explode. They stopped by the flat at Hermione's insistence to drop off the shopping, before Elizabeth dragged her daughter out of the flat before she could twist her father around her pinky to end the torture.

After being pushed and prodded into trying all manner of shoes and jewelry, Hermione was at long last in a book shop. She sat cross legged in the middle of an aisle of books trying to decide which of the four books she had narrowed it down to, to get.

'Scorpio Races' by Maggie Stiefvater - _**"It is the first day of November and so, someone will die.**_

Even under the brightest sun, the frigid autumn sea is all the colors of the night: dark blue and black and brown. I watch the ever-changing patterns in the sand as it's pummeled by countless hooves.

They run the horses in the beach, a pale road between the black water and the chalk cliffs. It is never safe, but it's never so dangerous as today, race day.

_**Some race to win. Others race to survive.**_

_It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line._

_Some riders live._

_Others die._

_ At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears , he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them._

_ Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition – the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen._

'Leviathan' by Scott Westerfeld – _**"Choose your weapon: Beastie**_ _**or Clanker. **_

_Alek is a prince without a throne. One the run from his own people, he has only a fighting machine and a small band of men._

_Deryn is a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She must fight for her cause – and protect her secret – at all costs._

_Alek and Deryn are thrown together aboard the mighty airship the Leviathan. Though fighting side by side, their worlds are far apart; British fabricated beasts versus German steam-powered war machines. They are enemies with everything to lose, yet somehow destined to be together."_

'Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel' by Cassandra Clare – _"__**Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.**_

_When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos._

_Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own."_

'The Merlin Conspiracy' by Diana Wynne Jones – _"__The story is narrated by two very different teenagers, who each inhabit two extraordinarily different worlds.__  
__Arianrhod_ _Hyde's world (or Roddy, as she prefers to be called) is very much the world of magic, pageantry and ritual. Not unlike Britain in King Arthur's Day, Roddy is daughter of two Court Wizards and therefore part of the King's Progress, travelling round the Islands of Blest and ready to take part in whatever ritual or ceremony is required, as it occurs. Presiding over all, the most important person is the Merlin, who is entrusted with the magical health of the Isles of Blest.___

_Their stories unfold, side-by-side, each part leading into the next, and the Merlin Conspiracy thickens as the tales swirl around each other – twining, meeting and affecting each other, yet never completely combining until the very end chapters when all is finally revealed."_

She was stuck, she didn't know which one book to choose and had been sitting there for nearly an hour weighing up the pros and cons of each book; Yet she was still stuck because she couldn't bear to leave three of them.

"Hermione, it's nearly closing time, have you chosen a book?"

"No, Mum and I just don't know which to choose".

"Ok," sighing she said, "Because you've been so good today, I'll get all four for you."

"Oh my gosh! Are you serious? Thank you mum," exclaimed Hermione as she tackled her mother in a hug. Elizabeth patted her daughters head, used to her eccentricities. Kneeling to pick the books up off the floor and carry them over to the cashier, before walking out of the shop with a beaming Hermione at her side.

_**A/N: Letting you in on a little secret, I have to say, I prefer writing Draco chapters, I originally had this as being chapter 5 before realizing that you might not want a double Draco hit without any Hermione filling, so this really was just a filler chapter. So I've already started the next chapter, and I'll be working on it and I'll try to have it up soon.**_

_**Thank you for reading, please review so I know how you liked the chapter (and so you can get a mention at the end of chapter 5).**_

Thank you for Reviewing:

i am percy's girlfriend, NCIS-Warrior-Princess, Dauntess

Thank you for Favouriting:

i am percy's girlfriend, ChloeBelikov, Dauntess

Thank you for Alerting:

i am percy's girlfriend, ChloeBelikov, TheCuteLittleAngel, Dauntess, balletgrl14, samagnus, ' , GothicChick57,

Thank you for Favouriting me:

Dauntess, Percabeth Trumps Jasper

Thank you for Alerting me:

Dauntess, Percabeth Trumps Jasper

Thank you so much, it really does make this worth it.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading my story, despite the massive gaps between uploads. I'm really trying to work on them.  
Since last time most of you read this story I have gotten a BETA, about a week ago. So you can thank her for any increase in updating speed you will see and improvements in the punctuation and grammar. If you want to tell her thanks, just say "To the BETA" at the start of your review and I'll give her the message._

_This chapter is dedicated to __**Ntina Salvatore**__ as a special thank you for reviewing my last chapter. Thank you for reviewing, it lets me know what you are thinking._

Chapter 5

Draco was woken from his slumber by the sound of an owl at his window. Groaning his annoyance, he crawled out of bed and walked over to his window only to see the pink and orange dawn light just showing above the horizon, as though the sun itself was having trouble waking itself up. Sighing in annoyance he opened his window to let the owl in. Seeing its large black and light brown ear-tufts, yellow eyes and feather covered feet he determined it to be a Great Horned Owl. "I wonder what your name is, you pretty thing," murmured Draco, admiring its speckled colouring as he carried it over to the perch he kept in his room for his own Eurasian Eagle Owl, Ander. He tugged gently at the cord tying the letter to the owl's leg, releasing the letter; he ripped the parchment open eagerly.

_Dear Pen Pal,_

_Hi… I was told that the owl the school is letting us use for this is called Arany, although I really don't know why we have to use a school owl._

_Some basic information about me is that I'm 16 and have just completed my fifth year at Hogwarts and will be starting my sixth year in September. Until then I plan to enjoy my holidays to the fullest._

_My family and I - I'm not quite sure as to whether I should even be calling them my family seeing as I am an only child so my 'family' consists purely of my mother, my father and myself – will be spending half of our holidays in Paris, as per usual. I must say that it will probably be at least a little bit boring seeing as I won't have any siblings to distract from my father's horrid jokes. Not that the historical side of it won't be interesting, but more the shopping side, I can't stand shopping and my mum loves it._

_Thankfully, I will get a reprieve from my parents in the second half of the holidays, which I will be spending with my friends at both of their homes. Even though I'm sitting with them right now, I can already tell that I'll miss them enormously. I suppose you could say that being friends with them for five years and only ever spending our holidays apart but even then the last few Christmas holidays have been spent together means that we've grown very close; So much that they are like siblings to me._

_If you don't mind indulging my curiosity, perhaps you could tell me a little bit about your plans for these holidays, and who you will be spending them with (don't worry you don't have to use their names, we could always use code names for our friends)._

_I was also thinking that we could use aliases ourselves which might make this whole letter writing thing easier... I mean, I think it would so much easier if to think of each other as people and a potential friend, rather than just a fictional character, if we were to use pseudonyms. Please tell me what you think of using pen names in your letter._

_Sincerely,_

_ Your Pen Pal_

After being woken at such an ungodly hour by the blasted owl, Draco decided he may as well go downstairs to the kitchen to get something to tide him over until breakfast which was a good three hours away. The letter stayed in his mind as he walked down countless flights of stairs and hundreds of past relatives to reach the kitchen, which was on the ground floor of the manor. His entry to the kitchen was greeted by the view of the manor grounds, consisting of rolling green lawns, beds of roses every colour, and meaning of the flower represented; bordered by black pebbled pathways. Walking into the kitchen he paused at the island which held a large black bowl full of fruit. He grabbed a perfectly rounded granny smith apple to tide him over until breakfast with his mother. His pearly white teeth pierced its light green skin tenderly, unleashing a small explosion of juice from the apple which he savoured. He held in its mouth while he grabbed a bottle of cold water from the enchanted refrigerator before finishing his mouthful of apple. Chewing it thoughtfully as he contemplated how he would reply to the letter waiting in his room.

On his way back to his room he passed what used to be his father - Lucius Malfoy's - office, reminding him of that dreadful day before he started his fourth year at Hogwarts.

_A house-elf apparated beside the piano, it's coughing politely interrupting Draco's intense practice session at 'his' piano. "Master Malfoy wishes to see you, Young Master Malfoy," said the squeaky voiced creature. Draco wondered what on earth he could have done: his father only ever asked to speak to him in his office if he had done something wrong.  
Draco knocked on the door to his father's office with trepidation, entering after Lucius called, "Enter." _

"_You wished to see me father?"  
"Yes," replied his father, his long platinum blonde hair hung loose, shining in the sun streaming through the single window behind him." I am sure you are aware that as you are to turn 15 in this coming year you are on the cusp of becoming a man," continued Lucius with a small smile towards his son, the only sign of parental pride he would receive. "As such, I expect you to take your role as heir to the Malfoy legacy seriously," warned Draco's father. "This means that you are to focus your time and efforts in exploits that will serve you and our family well in your years after Hogwarts. This year marks a pivotal turning point in your life so I expect you to offer the hand of friendship to only those who will increase your status and therefore the families. It is essential that they come from a Pure Blooded family which believes in Pure Blood Supremacy it is desired that they will support Lord Voldemort when he once more rises to power," concluded Lucius._

"_Of course," Draco responded, expecting nothing less from his father._

"_The head of the Malfoy family must be a businessman able to manage the properties, finances and funds at their disposal. They have only two careers, business and politics, to ensure their interests are represented. As you are becoming a man, it is time for you to retire your childish dream to be a healer and realise that it can never be," dictated Lucius. "You have had more than enough time to mourn and accept her death. It is time to live your life for the living and those yet to come," continued Lucius in his role as Draco's father, in a softer, kinder and more sympathetic tone._

"_Now, Draco; I am certain you are aware that I have never been a proud spectator of your musical exploits. I have humoured you long enough in that matter and it is time to act like the man you will one day become and playing an instrument is not an appropriate activity. As someone bearing the Malfoy name, you will be expected to show no emotion other than disdain and playing an instrument does not follow this for music itself is self-expression, the communication of emotions. I forbid you to play any sort of musical instrument; you're piano will be destroyed to remove temptation to disobey my orders." Draco felt his heart breaking a little more with every word his father uttered. "It's for your own good Draco, you may leave now."_

"_Father," said Draco clearly before walking out of the room, head held high. Refusing to show the emotions running through him, the anger that his father had the gall to dictate every move in his life; had the last say on all of his friends, he was even choosing Draco's own career. But that didn't matter to him in comparison, what destroyed him, was that his own father had the audacity to _forbid _him from anything to do with music. From what he loved, from what he once shared with the person he loved most in the world. A strange numbness spread from his heart throughout his body._

Draco continued his trek back to his room, at a far slower pace which somehow managed to convey the emotions he felt right then. His soul soaked in a sadness that couldn't be lifted. Not feeling up to replying to his pen-pal just yet he curled up on his bed and pulled a familiar, well-worn book towards him. To Draco it felt the same as a warm hug, just what he needed then. _"Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. This story is about something that happened to them …"_

AN:_ IF YOU READ THIS CHAPTER: please write a review saying what you __**liked**__, __**disliked, or what could be better or what you want to see**__, this will help me and my BETA figure out what YOU like and want more of, so we can try to add it in._

_I will also be TRYING to write and post Chapter 6 for you all by Christmas as a Christmas present but don't be too hard on me if I don't because my birthday is on the 23 of December so I'll be spending all of the 22__nd__ out with friends. So if I'm not able to meet the deadline __**Merry Christmas! **__ I hope you all have a wonderful day with whatever you may be celebrating._

_Some information about the owls –_

_**Link to information on Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus): **__** . ?genus=Bubo&species=virginianus**_

_**Picture of Arany (the school's owl): don't **_

_** . ?image=species-Bubo-virginianus-5**_

_**Link to information on Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo):  
**__** . ?genus=Bubo&species=bubo**_

_**Picture of Ander (Draco's owl):**_

_** . ?image=species-Bubo-bubo-2**_

A very **special** thank you for Reviewing:

Ntina Salvatore

Thank you for Favouriting:

Just another ginge, purplepanda357, KataraKorra, Amandrine, Eccentricelise

Thank you for Following:

Tasherella, Draco Lover 91, act-not-think, Just another ginge, Sparxfly93, 567random, Eccentricelise

Thank you for Fovouriting me:

Draco Lover 91


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Before any of you read this chapter I would like to apologize for taking so long to upload this chapter. I am incredibly sorry and I won't make any excuses for it. This chapter is the longest yet at over 3000 words, and I hope you love every single one._

_This chapter is dedicated to everyone who is still reading this story even though I take so long to upload and to my BETA, who has had to edit this chapter three or four times. Each time she read it, she found more things to improve to make this chapter more heartfelt and easier to understand. _

**CONTACT ME**: If you want to contact me, you can through any of the links below. If you want me to hurry up in writing a chapter, then these are the places to do it (seriously though, please put the pressure on because I procrastinate like there's no tomorrow otherwise).

FanFiction (on now): u/2077517/

Facebook: pages/Charming-Miss-Sarah/218386131661983

I created a Facebook page, so you can contact me through here. I will be posting sneak peaks on this page of up and coming chapters and if you want to get in touch with me quickly, this is the most reliable way.

: /CharmingMissSarah

does not require you to have an account for you to ask questions, so feel free :D

_**IMPORTANT:**_The song in the story is 'A Beautiful Storm' by Jennifer Thomas and can be found at this link watch?v=dUKcPqPaCu0&list=PLyxK1S5eQSIFDULyDyGo0-fMOlGSYh3hI&index=1

* * *

Chapter 6

* * *

_Dear Pen Pal,_

_It was wonderful to receive a letter so soon. The only problem with it was the time it arrived. I don't know about you but I don't particularly like being woken up at 5am by an __owl at my window. She didn't stop hooting and scratching at the window until I let her in – I think Arany (thank you for telling me her name in your last letter) is better than an alarm spell like that._

_Like you, I will be starting my second last year at Hogwarts this September. I guess we can look forward to getting to know each other without any stigma and having a more informed view as a result. My 'family' as you so aptly put it consists of only my mother and I. I suppose you could say we are rather close, but then again in such a small family you are either very close, or very distant. This is my first time home since the start of the school year, so I am looking forward to spending as much time as I can with my mother. I will be spending the holidays at home which I am quite content with. I expect my best friends to invite themselves over for an unexpected visit; I probably should__have tried harder to stop this habit of theirs but what can I say; I rather like the entertainment their visits offer… I am shocked to say, that they may have succeeded in making me accustomed to their stays. I guess that's the way childhood friends are anyway. It's probably time__ to__ stop this digression and return to the topic._

_I am rather envious of you, spending half of your vacation in Paris. I loved Paris when I was younger. I really do miss my family's vacations there, with so many happy memories but regretfully Father put an end to them years ago._

_On the matter of family, a little word of advice: cherish the times you spend with your family. The happy moments, the angry words, the long running jokes -__they won't last forever. Things change in the blink of an eye; Treasure the time you have together and don't regret a single second. Laugh at your father's jokes and endure your mother's shopping trips._

_In response to your query, I think that having aliases is a magnificent idea. I agree, it will be far easier to think of you as a person and not just a scrap of paper if we were to use pseudonyms rather than just 'Pen Pal'. If you don't mind though, perhaps you could choose your alias first. After all, I'm sure you have at least some idea of what you would like to be called whereas I don't have the slightest inkling._

_ Sincerely, _

_ Your Pen Pal_

_P.S. I almost forgot, we were probably given school owls because not all of the students participating in this 'extra-curricular' activity will have access to an owl. Alternately, perhaps they own an owl but in real life they are friends with their Pen Pal and have exchanged letters with them before, meaning that their partner would know who they are because of the owl rather than the content of their letters._

_Take two, _

_ Au revoir (See you soon)_

"Draco wake up, I have a surprise for you," called Narcissa in a sing-song voice as she lent the top half of her body past the half open door, into her son's bedroom. The matriarch of the Malfoy family proceeded to step into the half-light of her son's room. Draco responded to the sound of his mother's voice by rolling over in his bed until he faced away from the door, ignoring the sound of his mother's footsteps. Determined to get at least another few minutes shuteye, if not another couple of hours. Draco knew that his mother would say his fatigue was self-inflicted; a product of his nightly reading sessions, often continuing into the early morning (the term 'early morning' being subject to debate as the previous night he had finally put his freshly finished book down as the sun started peeking over the horizon), something Narcissa was quite right to assume he had brought upon himself.

Narcissa had finally reached the source of the faint light entering the room and was now wrenching the heavy curtains open. Bright sunlight poured in through the gap, into her son's eyes. Draco groaned at his mother's actions. Finally conceding to his mother's wishes, blinked his eyes open, temporarily blinded by the contrast of the bright light blazing over his room and the dull black of the backs of his eyelids. Narcissa pulled out her wand and muttered a spell, causing the drapes to fling themselves open. Looking back at her son; she saw he was finally sitting up in his bed, wiping the sleep from his eyes. With a slight smile on her face she said, "Hurry up and get dressed. Meet me in the kitchen when you're done."

When Draco finally appeared in front of his mother a half hour later, she had already finished her breakfast and had just started on her second cup of tea. While waiting she had started writing a letter to her cousin Sirius Black - who had opted to return to Azkaban to appeal the decision of his original court case - to enquire as to how the legal battle was faring. Without even looking up from her half written letter, Narcissa said, "Your breakfast is in the oven."

Mumbling his thanks, Draco strode over to the oven. Opening the oven door he unleashed a barrage of glorious smells. He wondered what the occasion was to warrant all of his favourite foods, looking up he saw his mother folding the letter and slipping it into an envelope, ready to be sent. Just as he opened his mouth to ask, she said "I know your birthday was weeks ago, Draco, but as your present only arrived this morning and you were at Hogwarts on your actual birthday, I thought we could celebrate your coming of age today. After all, turning seventeen is a very important thing as you are now recognised as an adult in the wizarding world."

"Thank you Mother, but isn't this too much effort," said Draco pointing down at mountain of food covering his plate, Draco continued, "After all it's not even my birthday, it was last month, in June."

"Don't complain Draco, it's unbecoming and today is your faux-birthday whether you like it or not, now stop dilly-dallying. I have your present waiting for you."

Narcissa might have told him not to dill-dally but that did not stop Draco from savouring every mouthful of his breakfast (he had even gone back for seconds). Narcissa led her son through the halls of the Malfoy Manor towards his belated birthday present, after five minutes of walking in a comfortable silence Draco asked, "Mother, why are you leading me back to my room and why the long way?"

"There's no fooling you today, is there Draco? Since you've already guessed, there; no point trying to hide it; yes I am taking you back to your bedroom and I took you the long way to try and confuse you."

"For some reason I don't think it worked," said Draco, pointing out the obvious and giving a light chuckle at his mother's failed attempt at subterfuge.

On arriving at the door to his room, Narcissa told him to close his eyes. Once she had opened the door she gently held his hand as she led him into his room, manoeuvring them both around Draco's bed. Reaching whatever his present was. Narcissa squeezed his hand, signalling that he should open his eyes. Draco couldn't help himself when he saw his present, a Piano Forte. Upon seeing his present, Draco felt a surge of affection towards his mother. He wrapped his long arms around his mother in a crushing hug, something he hadn't done since he was ten.

"I had a feeling you'd like it," chuckled Narcissa.

"Like it. I love it! But you know as well as I that Father forbade me from ever playing again."

"I know darling, but you're an adult now and it is your decision, not his. He was wrong. There's nothing wrong with self-expression."

"Thank you Mother." Sighing he said, "It's going to break my heart to leave it here when I return to Hogwarts," gesturing to the piano overlooking the manor's grounds.

"About that; I had a word with Professor Dumbledore as he is more than happy for you to take it to Hogwarts with you. He thinks it is a wonderful idea. Now, why don't you go see how it sounds," kissing him on the cheek she nudged him towards the piano. As she watched him sit on the piano stool and stretch his fingers over the keys she smiled. It was a sight that had been missing from her home for far too long. Slowly she walked out of the room, looking back over her shoulder as she softly closed the door behind her, giving her son some privacy.

Draco stretched his long, thin fingers before him, hovering over the ivory keys before unleashing the torrent of emotions he had bottled inside over himself over the past two years. The anger caused by his Father's audacity to forbid him from anything to do with music, followed by despair. Despair at the destruction of his piano. The destruction of the one link he had left to the person he loved most in the world – his sister, Elizabeth.

The four years age gap between the pair had done nothing to lessen the bond between them. It only served to make Draco treasure Elizabeth while she idolized him. Draco had loved her so very much; he was always the doting older brother, always trying to get her to smile a little bit wider. When she watched him play Quidditch she would grin but that was nothing compared to the beaming smile that would fill her round face whenever he would play even the simplest melody for her. Music was their "thing"; it was precious hours spent in each other's company. Every single day Elizabeth would ask, plead and demand that her brother play for her. Rain or shine she would stamp her feet until he gave in and played for her. To be honest, he loved the piano and he loved her…still loves her. Spending time with her had never been a chore to him, never and burden. Always, **always** a pleasure.

It had been winter.

_Narcissa and Lucius had left the manor earlier that afternoon, making their children promise to stay inside, assuring their precious children that they would be back in an hour or two. After all, a business luncheon couldn't take that long, could it?_

_Draco and Elizabeth, or as he fondly referred to her, Liz were sprawled out on the floor in the drawing-room in front of a large fireplace, Draco reading a book and Liz napping. When Liz woke up a half hour after her parents had left she had tried to sit quietly so her brother could read, but she was fast becoming bored. At first she asked if they could go outside and play but Draco responded with, "No, we can't. Mother and Father made us promise to stay inside."_

_ "But DRAAACO," whined the six-year-old. Her large, bright blue eyes opened as wide as they would go and her lips formed a pout. As her lower lip started to tremble and tears started welling up in her eyes, Draco rose up and knelt next to his sister, saying, "Liz-Liz, it's alright. We'll go out and play; it'll be our little secret." Elizabeth almost jumped for joy. "Go and get your coat. Don't forget your scarf or mittens, we don't want you to get cold," continued Draco. Although it was early afternoon; the snow-covered grounds outside may appear to be a winter wonderland but that didn't stop the cold it promised from being deadly._

_Draco helped Liz pull on her winter boots in the hall leading to the back garden of the manor – if you could even call it that – before pulling on his own boots. Double checking that Liz still had her scarf and mittens on before pulling her bright red beanie onto her head over her gleaming platinum blonde hair. Draco reached up and pulled their skates down from the hook above their heads. Reaching down, he scooped her small gloved hand into his own larger one and led her out of the manor towards the large frozen-over lake in the middle of the grounds._

_Stopping a metre away from the edge of the ice, Draco had Liz sit on the large toppled-over log they used to change into their skates. Draco carefully walked over to the edge of the lake on his own, checking to see the ice's thickness as he had seen his father do dozens of times. It was early winter and the ice was treacherous at this time of year but Draco, deeming it safe,_ w_alked back over to his sister and started helping her change into her ice-skates._

_Liz, always a lovable rogue ignored Draco when he told her to wait on the bench for him to swap his shoes. She skated straight out onto the ice, without a care in the world, not thinking that the lake she skated on in winter and swum in summer could pose her any harm, she could barely remember a time when she hadn't known how to skate. _

_'Liz, come back to the edge. I'll be one the ice in a minute," pleaded Draco. When she turned around to face him, still skating away from him – the reckless little hooligan –and poked her tongue out at him, while her thumbs pressed into her cheeks with her fingers spread out around her blonde hair making her look like a little lion, he couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle._

_Liz ignored her brother and with every push of her blades carried herself further away from Draco, closer and closer to the centre of the lake__._

_The ice gave way_

_Draco was rapidly lacing-up his skates when he saw her plunge through the ice. He stopped lacing. He wrenched the skates off his feet. Knowing that they'd only weigh him down, like Liz's had her. He rushed out onto the ice, ripping his coat off his shoulders. He stripped off layers of clothing as he ran, desperate to reach her but knowing he had to able to swim to save her. By the time he reached the hole Elizabeth had fallen through he was left in his socks, pants and shirt. Seeing that she still hadn't resurfaced he plunged into the icy depths. _

_The cold rushed through him. He didn't care. He kept looking through the murky depths, searching desperately_ for_r his sister. He swam further and further away from the ice he had leapt through. What felt like hours later he saw her red hat floating towards him, he increased his speed. Ignoring the burning in his lungs he pressed on. He saw her, Elizabeth's arms struggling feebly to pull her towards the surface, unwieldy kicking her legs in desperation as her skates and thick coat, bought to protect her from the cold, carried her to the bottom of the lake. Draco reached out and grabbed his sister, trying to pull her towards the surface, towards life-giving air but he couldn't. She continued to sink further into the depths of the lake. Her clothing was too heavy. _

_He pulled off her coat and tore off her skates. Feebly, she tried to help him. Finally she was free of her coat. Draco swam. Kicking, propelling them towards the surface. Elizabeth only managed three kicks before she lost all of her strength. Still she managed to hold on to her brother._

_The ice-cold water was lightening; Draco knew they were getting closer to the surface. Hope filling him, if they could just get out, they'd be fine. They just had to escape this watery cemetery._

_Then he realised. He couldn't feel Elizabeth's grip on his wrist. Draco's hand still held her wrist, but nothing held his own. Fearing what this mean, his desperation fuelled his kicks, even though Draco had barely any energy left, he sped up. He looked at the ice, trying to find where they had come through. THERE! He saw it. The dark space surrounded by white. Draco swam towards it. _

_Draco's head burst through the surface, he dragged his sister towards him as he gulped breaths of fresh air. Draco cradled his sister's head, keeping it above water as he kept them both afloat. Hoping, praying she was still breathing. He propelled them closer to the edge where the ice was thickest. He pushed the lifeless body of his sister up onto the ice. Draco used his exhausted arms to roll her away from the edge, towards the safety of land. He moved closer to the edge and hooked his left arm and leg over it as his father had told him to do and made a throwing motion with his right arm to propel him out of the water, pulling his right leg onto the ice as he did so. Draco carefully rolled over to his sister and crawled over to her head. Draco pulled her by the armpits to a safe distance away from the hole before kneeling beside her. He checked her breathing. She wasn't breathing. _

_WAKE up! BREATHE damn it!_

_Draco was frantic, he didn't know any magic. He didn't even have a wand for Christ's sake! He was only ten. He did the only thing he could think of. His small child-like hands clumsily started to push down on his sister's chest. It was a crude imitation of CPR. He didn't know what he was doing. He only knew to press her chest because of the muggle books he read and they never explained how to actually perform CPR. All he could do was keep pushing, hoping that the water would come out of her lungs and she would start breathing. Tears ran down his face._

_ "Don't leave me. C'mon Liz, don't leave me," he pleaded. "Breathe! Just Breathe, that's all you have to do," he begged. "I'll play whatever you want, whenever you want if you just open your eyes," tears falling faster and faster down his face. He barely saw what he was doing. _

_His voice was hoarse and he was still pushing down on his sister's chest; still trying to save her life, his six-year-old sister's life. He was exhausted, mentally and physically, but it hadn't mattered. He kept going. _

_Narcissa had found him. Narcissa had gently pulled Draco away from his sister's corpse, the corpse that just an hour ago had been a happy, smiling, spoilt-rotten little girl. Narcissa pulled her crying son gently into her, hugging him. For as much as she needed it, so did he. She stared into the lifeless blue eyes of the body that once was her daughter. Elizabeth's pale skin was now white tinged with blue. Tears welled up in Narcissa's eyes and she rocked back and forth, comforting both herself and her now, only child._

_ She kept saying, "It's alright. It's going to be okay." But she knew it wasn't. Their family would never be the same again._

* * *

A/N:

_Please review this chapter, to tell me what you liked or disliked or what you would like to see in coming chapters or if there are any typos or grammatical errors still in this chapter please let me know. Even if you just want to talk, hit me up :D_

A very special thank you for Reviewing (and replies):

Lupa Eira - It is nice to know that you like the ideas that this story has stemmed from. After all those are some of the few things I can claim credit for. I hope you like the letter in this chapter. I can't tell you how everything develops and how Hermione and Draco gain each other's trust..at least not yet. You'll have to wait and read it for yourself.

tinydancer12 - Here is chapter 6 and I am so sorry for the wait. I never intended to make you wait so long to read it but unfortunately I hit a wall and couldn't think of anything to write, or how to write it. I hope the wait was worth it (which I doubt, but I hope you like this chapter anyway. Please tell me what you think of this chapter.

ashtree22 - I know, what would Lucius think if he knew Draco reads C.S Lewis...good thing he didn't know

567random - Thank you for your positive review. It's nice to know that even though there are some similar stories out there you like this one because it has a plot and feels like it has body. Thank you for liking how I portray the characters, particularly Draco. I have to admit, I feel that because J.K Rowling didn't really explore him as a person very much he is a far easier character to write with than Hermione. I hope you still like how I portrayed Draco after this chapter.

SweetiePie113 - Thank you, I am still writing, although very slowly because of work and school commitments as it is my final year of High School and our final exams are in two weeks but after that I should be able to update faster (hopefully).

Jasmineprnc - Thank you for your Birthday and Christmas wishes. I hope you had a Marry Christmas as well (if you celebrate Christmas and if you don't, that you had a wonderful holiday).

xxDeadInsidexx - It's good to know you liked Chapter 5. Hopefully you liked what Draco wrote in his letter, tell me if you did. In the next chapter, it's going to be a split Hermione and Draco chapter (or at least that's the plan and if it isn't split, it will be a Hermione chapter).

Anonymous reviewers: Guest - You got your wish for a letter written by Draco in this chapter

Thank you for Favouriting:

tinydancer12, ashtree22, 467random, yellowlikethesun9628, SweetiePie113, HP-HG-D-LUVR, wassupmano, Luqura

Thank you for Following:

Lupa Eira, tinydancer12, Rbsoccer11, Slytherin Chick15, yellowlikethesun9628, mssweetychessgir, Shivra, HP-HG-D-LUVR, kaliraewong15, wassupmano, DaBerch, Luqura

Thank you for Favouriting me:

tinydancer12, ashtree22, Luqura

Thank you for Following me:

tinydancer12, Luqura


End file.
